Which of the following best describes how deviance is defined in social psychology?

• A. Deviance refers to behavior that violates social norms or expectations within a given group or society.
• B. Deviance refers to actions that are always morally wrong regardless of context.
• C. Deviance refers to any behavior that is illegal according to the laws of a country.
• D. Deviance refers to behaviors that are statistically rare in the population.

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the concept of deviance in social psychology, which focuses on how behavior is perceived relative to social norms and expectations within a group or society.
2. Step 2: Recognize that deviance is not necessarily about morality or legality, but about violating the unwritten or written rules that a society or group holds.
3. Step 3: Differentiate deviance from behaviors that are simply illegal or morally wrong, as these are more specific categories and do not fully capture the social psychological definition.
4. Step 4: Note that deviance is not defined by statistical rarity alone, since some rare behaviors may not violate social norms, and some common behaviors might be considered deviant in certain contexts.
5. Step 5: Conclude that the best description of deviance in social psychology is behavior that violates social norms or expectations within a given group or society.